A wonder device can see the soul of a dead man pass away… or at least that’s what the inventor claims.

A publication of the popular Russian tabloid Life.ru gives a dramatic account of the experiments of an inventor from St Petersburg, who has created a device able to see human aura.

Accompanied by pictures suspiciously reminiscent of a series of thermal images of a woman at different temperatures, the report claims they are made with a special “gas discharge camera” built by Konstantin Korotkov, a professor at the Research Institute of Physical Culture and State University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics.The paper goes on to say that the device can register the circumstances of death, differentiating between a victim of a violent crime and a person who died quietly in bed. It also registers the changes in aura presumably made by a strong psychic working on somebody.Disregarding the glib comparison of the religious term “soul” with the new age “aura”, the claims – they can hardly even be expected to get support in peer-reviewed scientific papers in our opinion – prompted RT to take a little investigation into the wonder device.

Kirlian camera

The instrument, which was presented to us as something involved in the study of death, turned out to have been designed as a medical diagnosis tool. With about 15 years of development behind it, its inventor claims that it’s an affordable early-diagnosis tool, capable of identifying any disease, from an ulcer to a brain tumor, by scanning irregularities in an aura. Sort of a spiritual healer in metal and plastic, available to everyone for a small fee. No mystical stuff here – a patient can see his own aura on the computer screen, all thanks to the “gas discharge visualization” or GDV.
The spiffy name is actually modern application of a well-known phenomenon called Kirlian effect, named after Semyon and Valentina Kirlians, a Russian couple who greatly contributed to popularizing it back in 1960s. Kirlian experimented with photographing objects with high voltage applied to them.

The strong electric field causes faint corona discharges around the edges, which can even be seen with the naked eye. The visual appeal of the effect won the hearts of mystic-oriented people.

Starting with Kirlians themselves, many people claimed that the electrical phenomena was actually a way to visualize otherwise invisible auras of objects. Korotkov is one of these claimants. According to him, corona discharges around fingertips, which his GDV cameras cause, have information about one’s physical condition and this information can be used for diagnosis. The claim was never confirmed by clinical tests, but it didn’t prevent the device from becoming the cornerstone of a widespread business. With different models costing from $4,500 to $13,000, and official dealers all across Russia and abroad, the invention seems to generate enough cash for Korotkov to travel the world and promote his product.

Not for diagnosis

Meanwhile, critics openly call the GDV “quackery”. Back in 2002, when the device drew the attention of the Russian media, RTR TV channel (now called Rossiya) did an investigation of their own, producing a 20-minute-long report. They revealed that, in the testing of a GDV scanner done in the Military Medical Academy, one of the strong-points trumpeted by the producer was actually its ability to kill bacteria on hands, which it successfully did. It was never used for diagnosis of any kind.

Another selling point – the testing of the device on Russian sportsmen – showed that readings of the device may vary slightly with the state of mind of the subjects. As it does with variations in the environment, like a change of air temperature or humidity.

In an interview given to a newspaper two years ago Korotkov said his invention was like a knife: it could be used for good or for bad purposes. Indeed, the beautiful Kirlian effect can be used for dubious intentions, or for inspiring works of art like those of photographer Robert Buelteman here.

Source: The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles

“Since belief is all important, it behooves you to guard your thoughts; and as your beliefs will be shaped to a very great extent by the things you observe and think about, it is important that you should command your attention.

And here the will comes into use; for it is by your will that you determine upon what things your attention shall be fixed.

If you want to become rich, you must not make a study of poverty.

Things are not brought into being by thinking about their opposites. Health is never to be attained by studying disease and thinking about disease; righteousness is not to be promoted by studying sin and thinking about sin; and no one ever got rich by studying poverty and thinking about poverty.

Medicine as a science of disease has increased disease; religion as a science of sin has promoted sin, and economics as a study of poverty will fill the world Do not talk about poverty; do not investigate it, or concern yourself with it.

Never mind what its causes are; you have nothing to do with them. What concerns you is the cure.”

“Do not spend your time in charitable work, or charity movements; all charity only tends to perpetuate the wretchedness it aims to eradicate.

I do not say that you should be hard hearted or unkind, and refuse to hear the cry of need; but you must not try to eradicate poverty in any of the conventional ways. Put poverty behind you, and put all that pertains to it behind you, and “make good.”

Opportunities are multiplied when seized – Sun Tzu, Art of War

And you cannot hold the mental image which is to make you rich if you fill your mind with pictures of poverty.

Do not read books or papers which give circumstantial accounts of the wretchedness of the tenement dwellers, of the horrors of child labor, and so on. Do not read anything which fills your mind with gloomy images of want and suffering.

You cannot help the poor in the least by knowing about these things; and the wide-spread knowledge of them does not tend at all to do away with poverty.”

“What tends to do away with poverty is not the getting of pictures of poverty into your mind, but getting pictures of wealth into the minds of the poor.

You are not deserting the poor in their misery when you refuse to allow your mind to be filled with pictures of that misery.

Poverty can be done away with, not by increasing the number of well to do people who think about poverty, but by increasing the number of poor people who purpose with faith to get rich.”

The poor do not need charity; they need inspiration.

Charity only sends them a loaf of bread to keep them alive in their wretchedness, or gives them an entertainment to make them forget for an hour or two; but inspiration will cause them to rise out of their misery.

If you want to help the poor, demonstrate to them that they can become rich; prove it by getting rich yourself.

People must be taught to become rich by creation, not by competition. Every man who becomes rich by competition throws down behind him the ladder by which he rises, and keeps others down; but every man who gets rich by creation opens a way for thousands to follow him, and inspires them to do so.

You are not showing hardness of heart or an unfeeling disposition when you refuse to pity poverty, see poverty, read about poverty, or think or talk about it, or to listen to those who do talk about it.

Use your will power to keep your mind OFF the subject of poverty, and to keep it fixed with faith and purpose ON the vision of what you want.”

Written by Lukas Camenzind With over 7 million copies sold, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop” is one of the highest selling singles of the past few years. But WHY was the song such a huge success? And what can you learn from it if you want to score the NEXT big hit? Here are 5 key insights: 1. It’s A Single Did you know Thrift Shop was the 5th in a series of singles released from The Heist? The first single was “My Oh My” (released December 2010). It completely failed to chart. About a month later came “Wing$” (released January 2011), but it didn’t really catch on either. Then, “Can’t Hold Us” (released August 2011) as the third, and a year later “Same Love” (released July 2012) as the 4th single… …but it wasn’t until AFTER “Thrift Shop” (released August 2012) blew up in October of 2012, that the previous songs climbed the charts, too. So what’s the lesson? Release and promote a series of individual songs. And: If it’s not a hit, switch. Don’t keep pushing a song that’s not getting any traction on its own. Keep releasing new songs until one catches on. 2. It’s Different If you don’t want to drown in the sea of new releases, the first challenge for any (new) artist is: How do you stand out? The simple answer: Be different. “Thrift Shop” IS different: It’s an ode to resourcefulness and getting fabulous even when you can’t afford to touch the luxury items that rappers usually talk about. In fact, it’s the exact OPPOSITE. The lesson: If you want to get noticed, don’t do what everyone else is doing. Dare to be different. You will alienate some, but connect more with others – and that’s what matters in the end. 3. It’s Fun As Jonah Berger shows in his book “Contagious: Why Things Catch On”, funny stories are among the most likely to go viral (because humor is a high-arousal, positive emotion, which makes it highly shareable). And “Thrift Shop” IS a fun song… about a “controversial”, but not-so-serious topic: Whether you are a thrifty-hipster or not, it’s safe to have an opinion and fun to “argue” about it. So, remember: Even if your music isn’t comical, don’t take yourself too serious. Make sure it’s fun to talk about your music, if you want anyone to share it. 4. It’s an Anthem Thrift Shop is not just a song – it’s an anthem. Why? Because the song is a symbol that captures the ACTUAL cultural phenomenon of the cash-strapped hipster (by choice or not), on the hunt for vintage clothes. Here’s the good news: If you want your song to become an anthem, too, you don’t need to start a whole new movement. All you need to do is draft behind a trend that’s ALREADY happening within the audience you want to reach. Write a concept song with a clear and focused message, and you’ll have a better chance of it becoming an huge hit like Thrift Shop. 5. It’s Visual With “Thrift Shop”, the song’s message doesn’t just come across through the music and lyrics: The music video (currently at over 430 million views on You Tube!) communicates the song’s concept visually: It’s fun, different and out-there, and captures what the song is all about. In todays online world (where everyone’s attention span is short), using stunning, extraordinary visuals to go along with your music is crucial. If you want your next song to be a big hit – or at least more successful than your previous song – don’t skimp on the visuals. Now tell me this… Why Do You Think Some Songs Become HUGE Hits? And What Are You Doing To Increase Your Chances Of Scoring The Next One? Leave a comment and let me know! Author Bio: Hi, my name is Luke and I have two passions in life: music and marketing. Have you ever wondered why some artists fail, while others have HUGE success online? If you’re a talented musician, I want to help you reach and engage more fans. To find out why some artists fail while others succeed, download my free report now: http://bit.ly/posteram

Written by Lukas Camenzind With over 7 million copies sold, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop” is one of the highest selling singles of the past few years. But WHY was the song such a huge success? And what can you learn from it if you want to score the NEXT big hit? Here are 5 key insights: 1. It’s A Single Did you know Thrift Shop was the 5th in a series of singles released from The Heist? The first single was “My Oh My” (released December 2010). It completely failed to chart. About a month later came “Wing$” (released January 2011), but it didn’t really catch on either. Then, “Can’t Hold Us” (released August 2011) as the third, and a year later “Same Love” (released July 2012) as the 4th single… …but it wasn’t until AFTER “Thrift Shop” (released August 2012) blew up in October of 2012, that the previous songs climbed the charts, too. So what’s the lesson? Release and promote a series of individual songs. And: If it’s not a hit, switch. Don’t keep pushing a song that’s not getting any traction on its own. Keep releasing new songs until one catches on. 2. It’s Different If you don’t want to drown in the sea of new releases, the first challenge for any (new) artist is: How do you stand out? The simple answer: Be different. “Thrift Shop” IS different: It’s an ode to resourcefulness and getting fabulous even when you can’t afford to touch the luxury items that rappers usually talk about. In fact, it’s the exact OPPOSITE. The lesson: If you want to get noticed, don’t do what everyone else is doing. Dare to be different. You will alienate some, but connect more with others – and that’s what matters in the end. 3. It’s Fun As Jonah Berger shows in his book “Contagious: Why Things Catch On”, funny stories are among the most likely to go viral (because humor is a high-arousal, positive emotion, which makes it highly shareable). And “Thrift Shop” IS a fun song… about a “controversial”, but not-so-serious topic: Whether you are a thrifty-hipster or not, it’s safe to have an opinion and fun to “argue” about it. So, remember: Even if your music isn’t comical, don’t take yourself too serious. Make sure it’s fun to talk about your music, if you want anyone to share it. 4. It’s an Anthem Thrift Shop is not just a song – it’s an anthem. Why? Because the song is a symbol that captures the ACTUAL cultural phenomenon of the cash-strapped hipster (by choice or not), on the hunt for vintage clothes. Here’s the good news: If you want your song to become an anthem, too, you don’t need to start a whole new movement. All you need to do is draft behind a trend that’s ALREADY happening within the audience you want to reach. Write a concept song with a clear and focused message, and you’ll have a better chance of it becoming an huge hit like Thrift Shop. 5. It’s Visual With “Thrift Shop”, the song’s message doesn’t just come across through the music and lyrics: The music video (currently at over 430 million views on You Tube!) communicates the song’s concept visually: It’s fun, different and out-there, and captures what the song is all about. In todays online world (where everyone’s attention span is short), using stunning, extraordinary visuals to go along with your music is crucial. If you want your next song to be a big hit – or at least more successful than your previous song – don’t skimp on the visuals. Now tell me this… Why Do You Think Some Songs Become HUGE Hits? And What Are You Doing To Increase Your Chances Of Scoring The Next One? Leave a comment and let me know! Author Bio: Hi, my name is Luke and I have two passions in life: music and marketing. Have you ever wondered why some artists fail, while others have HUGE success online? If you’re a talented musician, I want to help you reach and engage more fans. To find out why some artists fail while others succeed, download my free report now: http://bit.ly/posteram

his week we are going to take a brief look at the importance for you and your band to be an active member in today’s social networks, as well as some basic brand marketing tips for your band.

In our current society we are constantly glued to our tech devices and continuously downloading massive amounts of data through both our personal computers and mobile devices. In fact, over 488 million people use Facebook over a one month span with numbers growing everyday. With evidence like this it is no wonder that it is so important for artists to “put themselves out there”. Gone are the days of searching the Yellow Pages for a phone number, or buying a map to plot a course for vacation. These tasks and more are easily and efficiently carried out over the internet.

So what are some of these social networks, and which ones do I need?

An all-too-popular answer is: “all of them!” And though I don’t think this is necessary, it certainly doesn’t hurt. Remember, your goal when marketing your music will be to spread your band’s name and music as far as you can, and to everyone you can. The greatest benefit of social networking is the ability to reach millions of potential fans in mere moments, and at little to no cost to you.
Some of the most popular and beneficial social networks used today:

Facebook– Ask just about anyone these days, and its pretty likely they have a Facebook account. One of the most popular social networks with over 488+ million users monthly, and over 42 million “Pages”, literally everyone is on Facebook. Though there is a large amount of speculation on whether or not Facebook will stand the test of time, it is clear that this social network will play a large and vital role in your bands social image. Recently Facebook has also added a hashtag (#) feature similar to Twitter which is certain to increase branding for those looking to market and advertise within the network.

Twitter– The second most popular social networking site would definitely have to be Twitter. Intended for short bursts of information, it is a great way to reach your audience on a more personal level. Garnering attention through re-tweets is a great way to allow your fans to advertise for you by means of sharing stories with their respective followers. Offering incentives to your followers is a great way to get re-tweets flowing by encouraging fans to do the heavy lifting for you. Though not as popular as Facebook, Twitter still sees about 107 million US users, a great reason to get your band started.

Youtube – Though Youtube isn’t exactly a “social network”, many of the features and abilities within the website create enormous potential to reach new audiences all over the world. Apart from having a massive collection of musicians and artists alike posting their work, Youtube has the benefit to post and catalog your music videos which you wish to showcase, as well as the ability to post content related to your brand and music such as concert announcements, backstage features, or video blogs.

Google+ – Still fairly new to the social network game, Google started its social networking platform, Google+, in August 2007 and has been growing in users steadily since its opening. Though only about 8% of Americans older than the age of 12 have Google+ accounts, almost 48 percent of Fortune Global 100 companies are now on the new social site and growing in popularity. Fan communities are fond of the new “Circles” feature which allows users to organize groups with similar interests. Probably the most popular reason to have your band’s profile on Google+ is the ability to improve search results on Google’s parent search engine.

Soundcloud – Easily known as one of the most popular free websites to host and stream music, since its opening Soundcloud has improved and offered many great features to help musicans and sound artists share their music. Not only can you stream your music here to your fans, your fans will be able to favorite, share and comment on tracks you post.

Reverb Nation– Though decreasing popularity in recent months, Reverb Nation is still a popular place for musicians to host their music and share it with fans. Hosting a bokeh of different features and insight to help progress you and your band’s music, Reverb Nation can be a great place to host music and share tour dates with your fans. However, with Facebook’s new linking feature, artists can link their page to their Reverb Nation account quick and easily. By linking the two, artists can then easily share their new music on their page and direct fans to the rest of their catalog through the application.

Myspace – Easily one of the least popular social networks today, Myspace used to be the biggest name of the block. Though not used much today, some analysts are predicting a comeback for Myspace with its revamped focus on music. In fact, this past SXSW saw the reemergence of the site as a competitor, with Justin Timberlake endorsing the new site. In order to get a chance at getting into his secret show during SX, eager fans had to create a new account on the site. Though a successful marketing ploy, I am still unconvinced of a Myspace re-emergence.